In Deep Water Culture (DWC) Hydroponic Systems, plant roots grow suspended in a well oxygenated nutrient and water solution. With this soilless growing technique, “deep” means that the roots must be submerged deep in the water. Besides light, the nutrient water solution, and oxygen provide the crop with everything it needs for optimal growth. There are many benefits to growing in a Deep Water Culture Hydroponic System. Plants grow faster, healthier, and have higher yields. Plant roots are always submerged in a nutrient solution so there is a continuous supply of nutrient that is being oxygenated at a constant rate. Individual plants are grown in individual containers, so each plant gets the benefits from the nutrients for itself.
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DWC systems grow healthier plants with greater yield potential by providing plants with continuous access to water, oxygen, and nutrients because oxygenated water enables the plant roots to absorb nutrients more efficiently, increasing plant growth rate substantially.
For systems without a central reservoir, you need to manually monitor the water and nutrient level and top off the solution in each bucket as it is consumed by the plant. These are standalone buckets since they do not share a water supply, but the air pump is centralized. You can have one, or many buckets.
For systems connected to a central reservoir, the reservoir is filled with water and nutrients. As the plants consume the water and nutrient solution, the solution across all the connected buckets is drawn from the reservoir by the plant. The solution only needs to be added to the central reservoir.